You've Got A Friend In Me
by 88Ashley88
Summary: A One Shot Based off of Mouse leaving for his deployment and the events that follow.


**This was requested about a month ago via Twitter. I hadn't forgotten about it. I just haven't had the chance to sit down and actually write it out.**

 **It's based off of the deleted scene of Mouse at the bar with everyone before he left for his deployment and how Jay reacts to it later that night with Erin.**

 **I hope that you guys like it.**

 **000000000000000000000**

It had been a few months since Mouse had left.

Jay missed his best friend. He missed coming home from work and watching ESPN with him until Erin came home from work, he missed hanging out with him at work, most of all he just missed his friend in general.

Where was the ever present noise of Mouse talking the drumming of his pen on the desk, which always drove Jay crazy, but now he found himself missing.

Today had been a really good day, Jay and Erin had spent the day together shopping, and disagreeing about what does and doesn't look good in their apartment; Jay was still working on talking Erin into the flat screen TV but she somehow wasn't seeing his vision.

God, he loved her so much. She was the only thing that was getting him through his best friend being gone, and the guilt that he didn't join him.

It had been three months since Mouse had been gone and he was still finding it hard. Mouse called once a week if he could, with the occasional letter in the mail. He knew he was busy with his platoon, but his job was high risk and not knowing if he was ok or… alive was unnerving.

Jay opened the door to his and Erin's apartment, kicking it closed as he entered.

"Erin?" Jay called as he yelled through the apartment "Babe? Are you home?"

Jay carried the bags of groceries in his arms over to the counter and saw the piece of paper with a note from Erin.

 _Jay,_

 _Went to grab dinner and a movie with Nina. Tried your cell, but you left your phone here. I'll be home later._

 _Love you, Erin_

Ah, Nina, his brother Will's girlfriend and the one person Jay felt was slowly replacing him. Lately, Erin and Nina were always together and while Jay was happy they got along, he wasn't expecting them to hit it off as well as they had.

He couldn't complain though, Nina had brought something out of his brother Will that Jay hadn't seen before and for that Jay was thankful.

Jay looked at the brown paper bags in front of him and sighed.

So much for the romantic dinner that he'd planned…..

Jay ordered take out and put the groceries away while he was waiting for his dinner to arrive. He flipped the TV on and walked over to grab a beer, ready to relax and enjoy the weekend.

As he exited the kitchen making his way to the couch he saw the 'Breaking News' banner flash on the screen.

"Earlier today, six American soldiers were on a routine patrol when their Humvee was ambushed and attacked. More information on this story at six o'clock," then the screen changed back to the show that was on.

Jay stared at the TV in disbelief. He wasn't sure what to do or how to feel. The odds of Mouse being one of the six involved were low, But Jay couldn't help the sinking feeling in his stomach.

He wanted to call Erin, but he didn't want to bother her. No need to worry her unless he knew for sure that Mouse was one of the ones involved in the ambush.

The sound of a knock on the door jerked Jay back to reality and he walked slowly over to the door and looked in the peephole before he opened it revealing Hank on the other side.

"Hey. Um….Erin's not here" Jay started.

Hank nodded "I'm not here to see Erin. I'm here to see you"

Jay stepped out of the way and let Hank come in.

Hank stepped past Jay and into the apartment. "You and Erin have it looking really good"

Jay gave a small smile and nodded. "Yeah, it's been a process. But it's slowly coming together"

Hank nodded and turned to look at Jay. "I got a call today…and I thought it would be easier to tell you this in person instead of over the phone"

Jay looked at Hank and felt his stomach turning as he waited for the news Hank was about to tell him.

"The attack on the American Soldiers earlier today….Jay….One of them was Mouse" Hank explained as he took a step towards Jay.

"What?" Jay asked as he took a step back from Hank.

"Greg suffered some severe burns and broken bones in the ambush. His left leg is severely damaged and they're not sure if they'll be able to save it. He's got some internal bleeding and once he's stable, they're going to fly him home to Walter Reed Medical Center. He's the only one that survived the attack. That's all I know for now"

Jay was quiet as he listened to what Hank was telling him before he took off to the bedroom with Hank following him.

"I have to go" Jay said as he grabbed his suitcase out of the closet and tossed it on the bed as he started to grab clothes and toss them in his suitcase. Not caring about folding them.

"Jay, just wait until we know more. They're not even sure when they're going to fly him back to the states. They've got to get him stable first" Hank reasoned.

Jay shook his head as he continued to pack. "This is your fault"

"Excuse me?" Hank said as he took a step towards Jay.

"You heard me" Jay spat as he paused from his packing. "You're the one who made the charges on his record disappear. You're the one that's responsible for this"

"You can't put this on me, Halstead. You know as well as I do what Mouse was going through and he was going to get overseas no matter what he had to do. I couldn't keep him from going any more than you could" Hank explained.

"I should've been there with him" Jay said. "We're supposed to be brothers and I let him down"

"Jay, if you were with him, you'd be in the same boat as him. Just get more information before you go storming off to God knows where. Let Greg's family get into contact with you so you'll know more information. Hell, let Erin know. It's not fair to her for her to come back to an empty apartment.

Somehow, even the mention of Erin was able to calm Jay. And for the first time since Hank had told him the news about Mouse he was about to pause and think clearly.

Hank was right, he needed Erin. Her support, her love, her understanding. That was going to be what he needed to get through the next few days.

 **000000000000000000000**

Erin rolled over in her sleep and reached out her hand across the bed and felt the cold sheets on her arm. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at the light on the clock.

2:04 am

Erin sat up in bed and ran a hand though her hair as she took in her surroundings.

She and Jay had made it to Maryland this morning and had went directly to Walter Reed Medical Center as soon as they left the airport.

They were greeted by people that Erin had never met before, but Jay greeted just as if they were old friends.

She had held tight to his hand as he'd introduced her to Mouse's family and all she could do was offer her condolences to the people who hugged her like they'd known her, her whole life.

The good news about Mouse's condition was that they were able to stabilize him and get him to the states. The doctors seemed positive that they would be able to save his leg and that skin grafts would slowly help with the burns on Greg's legs and hips from where he'd been pinned in the Humvee.

Erin was at a loss at what to do to help Jay. He'd been holding everything in the last few days and as much as she wanted him to talk about everything, she was afraid to press him on it.

He'd talk to her when he was ready.

Erin slipped out of bed and pulled her sweater over her arms and she slipped on a pair of shoes as she made her way out of the hotel room and went in search of her boyfriend.

Erin took the elevator to the lobby and she smiled sadly when she saw him sitting outside by the pool. His legs over the edge and hanging down into the water.

Erin walked out of the hotel to the pool area and over to where Jay was sitting and she knelt down next to him.

"Jay?" Erin said quietly "It's a little late for a swim"

Jay nodded not taking his eyes off of the water.

Erin tentatively sat down next to Jay and slipped her shoes off before sliding her feet into the warm water of the heated pool.

"Why don't you come to bed and get some rest?" Erin asked

Jay shook his head no to answer her question and kept his gaze fixated on the water.

She wasn't quite sure what to say to Jay so she just did the only thing she knew to do. She sat beside him in silence.

Jay reached his hand out and grasped Erin's hand in his and he tightened his grip on her hand.

"Erin…." Jay started.

Erin looked over at Jay and gave him a sad smile. "Yeah?"

"Thank you for coming with me." Jay said softly.

Erin nodded and scooted even closer to Jay "Of course"

Jay brought a hand up and rubbed his tired eyes. He was exhausted, but couldn't bring himself to sleep. Anytime he closed his eyes all he saw was his best friend hooked up to all of those machines that were keeping him sedated so that his body could work on healing itself.

"Mouse's family sure does love you" Erin said as she looked over at Jay.

Jay nodded and gave a small smile. "They were one of the things that got me through being back as a civilian. It wasn't an easy adjustment. Hell, they were there for me more than my own damn family. I wasn't a doctor so my dad more or less wrote me off after that. Will was off doing God only knows what. My mom was already gone by that point and they took me in without as much as a second thought. They were the ones who actually convinced me to take the police exam"

"I didn't know that" Erin gently kicked her legs in the water as she looked over at Jay.

Jay nodded "Yeah, Actually they convinced both me and Mouse to try it out and Mouse didn't pass the exam on his first try, but I did. He was really upset about it and that led him to getting involved with a crowd that he shouldn't have. We kept in touch, but it wasn't until Hank gave him a chance with the IT stuff that he really came into his own. He became the Mouse that I knew again. The one that was my best friend and not messing around with people and situations he had no business in. And what did it get him? Him coming to IT only led to him wanting to go back to active duty and look where it got him. This is my fault"

Erin shook her head "Jay, this isn't your fault. You couldn't keep Mouse from going back to active duty. He wanted to, if you did anything, you helped him get what he wanted. Don't ever think for a second that you're to blame for this. Mouse's family doesn't blame you and I know that Mouse won't either. He's going to be OK, Jay. It's going to be a long road for him. He's going to need you and your support and I know that you're going to be there for him every step of the way. It's why I love you. You're this pillar of strength for all of those around you and I hope that you're like that with our kids one day"

Jay smiled as he turned his head and looked at Erin "Our kids?"

Erin nodded and looked at Jay. "Is that not something you think about? Us and having a family one day. Is that not what you want?"

Jay smiled and brought Erin's hand up to his lips and kissed it. "I think about that all the time. When I think about my future, you're the one thing I see. I may not know where we're going to be in twenty years, but the one thing I do know is that you're going to be by my side. With a kid or two…..or ten"

Erin smiled as she looked at Jay "I don't know about ten. I wasn't even sure about one. But you changed that for me. You're the first relationship I've had that's made me see a future. When Nadia died, everything around me was dying right with her and there you were. This light….this beacon that was pulling me back to "Me". You never once gave up on me. For the past four years your love has kept me moving. Mostly running from it, never ready for it. But I realized that it was what saved me. And I want a future with you. I want kids with you. I want you. I'm completely in love with you and I know I'm always going to be. Seeing you today with Mouse's nieces and nephew. It made me know without a doubt that you're what I want for the rest of my life"

Erin looked at Jay and saw him looking at her the way he always did. Like this mess of herself had somehow hung the moon and she closed her eyes as she felt him lean in and kiss her. In one long, slow kiss.

Telling her without words that he wanted all of those things with her.

"I love you, Erin" Jay said. "And I want everything you just said. I want Wisconsin and I want our family and I want you. Every day for the rest of my life"

"Can I take you to bed now?" Erin asked a small smile forming on her lips.

"If you insist" Jay said as the two stood from the pool and made their way into the hotel.

 **000000000000000000000**

It had been a month since Mouse was attacked and he'd been transferred back to a rehabilitation center in Chicago for his rehab.

Jay sat in his room with him after Mouse had finished his therapy for the day and the two sat in a comfortable silence as they watched the game on TV.

"I'm glad you were here" Mouse said breaking to silence.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else" Jay said.

"No….I mean….I'm glad that you weren't there when all of this happened. We were always together on our missions and knowing you weren't there with the ambush happened helped me when I was recovering. I miss my brothers who didn't make it out that day….but knowing that you weren't one of them was a relief to me. I know that sounds selfish and I know that you blame yourself that you weren't there with me….but you being here now….That's more than I can ever repay you for man" Mouse explained.

"You're my best friend, man. You're more than that….Hell, you're as much my brother as Will and I'm going to be with you through it all man" Jay assured.

"You think these burn scars on my legs are going to be a chick magnet?" Mouse asked.

"I don't doubt it" Jay said with a laugh.

"So what's this news that you've yet to tell me about?" Mouse asked.

"You sure you don't want to wait until the game is over?" Jay asked.

"Just tell me now man" Mouse insisted.

"Ok" Jay said reaching into his pocket and pulling out the small velvet box.

Mouse reached for it and opened it revealing a 2 carat princess cut, white gold, engagement ring.

"When are you going to ask her?" Mouse asked

"Tomorrow night. We're going to Wisconsin for the weekend and I'm going to take her to the lake at sunset and ask her" Jay explained as he took the ring back from Mouse.

"What did Hank say?" Mouse asked.

"Didn't really say much. Just did that sigh he does when he knows he can't prevent you from doing anything and patted me on the back when I left" Jay said as he put the ring back into his pocket.

"Congratulations man. I'm happy for you. It finally feels like things are looking up" Mouse said.

"You know, for the first time in a long time….I agree"

 **~*The End*~**


End file.
